Marine Art

1.

A Brief History

Artists have sought to capture ships at sea since boats and vessels were first invented. Examples date as far back as the Ancient Egyptian and Ancient Greek times, with experts suggesting depictions began even earlier.

During the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century, marine art took off spectacularly, reflecting the importance of marine battles and overseas trade. Willem van de Velde became famous for his detailed depictions of Dutch naval victories over the English, before the English court poached him for their own in the 1670s: a cunning move that reflects just how valuable marine paintings were to a nation’s prestige.

In the 18th century, thanks to the influence of Van de Velde’s work at the court of Charles II, marine art increased in popularity in Britain. It was a genre apt for an island with some 19,400 miles of coastline and a maritime ascendancy, offering a medium to illustrate its battles and campaigns against competition states such as Holland, Spain and France. Romanticism in the 18th and 19th centuries further enriched the genre, with artists' fascination with the sublime in nature finding inspiration in the frightening yet tantalising power of the sea. Turner’s light-filled yet stormy seascapes are a masterful example of a more introspective approach to marine art.

The genre retained significance in the 20th century in Britain, with the launch of the Royal Society of Marine Artists in 1939 under the patronage of King George VI, hot on the heels of the major exhibition Sea Power.

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2.

Categories

Marine art can be divided into three main categories.

Ship portraits: As suggested by the name, ship portraits depict a specific ship and are often commissioned by someone with a particular interest in the subject: often the ship’s captain or owner, ship merchants or high-ranking members of the crew. Thomas Luny’s Portrait of the East Indiaman Neptune in Two Positions off the Downs, for instance, is thought to have been painted for one of Neptune's owners or masters.

Historical scenes: Painted either contemporaneously or retrospectively, historical scenes memorialise specific marine events. For example, The Formidable breaking the French line at the Battle of the Saintes, 1782, painted collaboratively by Nicholas Pocock and James Martin Hilhouse, is a dramatic depiction of Lord Rodney's victory over the French which helped protect Jamaica from invasion.

Coastal scenes: Often more relaxed and bucolic, coastal scenes don’t always feature boats; this type of painting rose in popularity along with the Romantic and Impressionist movements. David James’ A Cornish Breaker demonstrates the British artist’s focus on the elemental and translucent qualities of the sea, while the boats are portrayed only far in the distance.

3.

Key Artists

Marine art was, and still is, practised by a variety of artists. Many were specialised and devoted solely to the genre, and a good number were former crew members who later swapped ship for canvas. Meanwhile, some artists such as J.M.W. Turner were not specifically 'marine artists' yet were inspired by the maritime experience. Here, we take a quick look at some of the key artists of the genre.

Peter Monamy (1681-1749): Monamy was an English marine painter who established his own studio in Westminster in the 1720s. A collector of drawings by Willem van de Velde, his work was highly inspired by Northern European marine masters. Today, his works are housed in major museums such as New York’s Metropolitan Museum and the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London.

James Edward Buttersworth (1817-1894): Buttersworth was an English marine painter who moved to America around 1845 and set up his own studio in Brooklyn. He is best known for his scenes of sailing competitions, such as the dynamic Trials for Contenders for 1893 America’s Cup Defense, as well as shipping scenes and boat portraits.

William Lionel Wyllie (1851-1931): A leading English marine painter, Wyllie won the Turner Gold Medal at just 18 before earning full membership to London’s Royal Academy of Art. Wyllie was closely tied to the Royal Navy and lived in Portsmouth, where he was Marine Painter to the Royal Yacht Squadron and the Royal Victoria Yacht Club.

Charles Edward Dixon (1872 -1934): Son of the historical painter Alfred Dixon, Charles started exhibiting at the Royal Academy at just 16 years old. He is best known for his well-observed views of the Thames.

Montague Dawson (1895-1973): Dawson served in the Royal Navy during World War I and again in World War II as a war artist. His works often focus on historical subjects, with riveting depictions of ships in highly dramatic seas. Dawson is considered by many the leading marine artist of the 20th century.

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4.

Collecting

The best way to approach collecting marine art is through careful research. Talk to specialists on the subject or visit museums that hold extensive collections and archives of marine art. Notable British institutions include the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich and Liverpool’s Maritime Museum.

As with most art collecting categories, the best-known artists typically fetch the highest prices. James Edward Butterworth’s epic The Clippership Flying Cloud Coming out of a Hurricane, for instance, sold for an impressive $398,500 in 2013 at Bonhams New York, while Montague Dawson’s Smugglers’ Bay fetched £181,500 at Bonhams London in 2020. In the current Marine Sale, the four top lots are works by Montague Dawson including A Fine Breeze (estimate: £30,000-50,000), alongside works by other leading masters of the genre such as Peter Monamy, John Wilson Carmichael and Charles Napier Hemy and more.

Yet marine art is not limited exclusively to painting. Objects and memorabilia connected to landmark expeditions and famous sailors, as well as ship models, logbooks, chronometers and letters are also highly coveted at auction. Just one example is Lord Nelson’s favourite armchair – which he affectionately named ‘The Emma’ – that fetched £106,250 at Bonhams London in 2017. Another fascinating item featured in our upcoming sale is a gold and enamel mourning ring for Lord Nelson by John Salter (estimate: £4,000 - £6,000).